Now I See Why
by Safyre
Summary: Lucas and Pearle Pontal are different from their parents... Their parents hold some devestating news that will change Lucas Pearle's lives forever.
1. A Day of Rain

Chapter 1- A Day of Rain  
  
Lucas Pontaele was born on a dark, rainy day in March. He had a mass of thick, brown hair had big, wide, green eyes. The rest of his physical features were average, except for a raspberry sized birthmark on his wrist.   
His sister, Pearle, had the same thing, but on her ankle. Pearle was genuinely beautiful. She was five, but looked as though she was three or four. Her blonde, curly hair cascaded down past her elbows and her eyes were the color of the morning sky.  
"Mommy." said Pearle  
"What's his name?" she asked as she pointed to the cradle next to the red, hot flames of the fire.  
"Lucas!" Genova (Pearle and Lucas's mother.) Scorned.  
"That's a nice name, isn't it daddy?" Asked Pearle with excitement.  
"Yeah, yeah, now can you leave me alone?" Rob complained with agitation in his voice.  
Pearle was treated terribly by her parents. She didn't notice, but her parents knew she was different. She was too nice. Funny isn't it? Two adults, threatened by a five year old. 


	2. The Children

Chapter 2- The Children  
Five years had passed and as the children grew older, they were treated worse and worse. The Pontales had more money then they needed and they lived in a mysterious mansion that twenty people would be able to live in but they insisted that the children's room be in the basement. It had dark hallways and boarded up rooms. Pearle and Lucas had always wondered what was in the rooms but they were told never to go in, around, or near them.  
Pearle was turning ten the next day and would be departing for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in two days. She would catch the train on August 31, so she could settle in.  
"I'm gonna miss you Lucas."   
"I'm gonna miss you to Pearly, but you're gonna have a much better life at Hogwarts than you have here. Anyway, I'll meet up with you in a few years, and I'll see you over the summer. You're leaving on Thursday, right?"  
"Yep." replied Pearle.  
"Ok. Well I'm going to go to bed. Nighty night!"   
Pearle and Lucas were very close since they got no satisfaction from their parents. The days flew by, and Pearle left for Hogwarts. Lucas soon missed her more than anything. 


	3. Alone

Chapter 3- Alone  
Over the next three years, Lucas tried to keep himself busy, but it was difficult because he missed Pearle so much. He would get a letter from her every so often which helped. Lucas was also eight and in school with the muggle children. He was in third grade now, and was probably the smallest boy in his class. He also got made fun of a lot. All of the children noticed the raspberry on his wrist and called him names like weirdo, alien man, freakazoid, etc.   
Lucas used to count down the days until the summer. Once the summer began, Pearle would return home. Lucas's summer vacation started before Pearle's and waiting for her was pure torture. First of all he had nothing to do all day long for a week. He hardly had anything to do after school.   
"Lucas! Start cleaning the basement and the downstairs! Your grandparents are coming up today from London and I don't want them staying in filth. Now go ahead! Get started." Screamed Genova.  
"Great." Lucas mumbled under his breath. He hated visits from his grandparents. They were always bragging about how good Sarah and Ruby, his cousins, did in Hogwarts. His grandparents would be staying for two weeks so they would get to see Pearle. 


	4. Gandparents

Chapter 4- Grandparents  
Promptly, at three o'clock the doorbell of the great house rang and when Lucas opened the door, there stood at short, chubby woman, with and abundance of grey hair and a short, skinny man with a hat a top his head.   
"Well, hello Lucas." His grandmother said, with red lipstick visible on her big teeth.  
"Hi Nanny." Lucas replied.  
"You are to refer to me as Grandma Pontale. I'm too good for "Nanny". Lucas's grandmother scolded.  
"And you son, you are to refer to me as Grandfather Pontale. No Papa or grandpa, it's Grandfather Pontale." Lucas's grandfather added in.  
Lucas's grandparents proceeded into the house, throwing their bags into Lucas's hands. Lucas obediently brought the bags upstairs to their room as his parents greeted his grandparents.   
"Hello Mother." Lucas's father said as she greeted her parents. "Hi Dad."he added in. Lucas's mother said her greetings also and his parents lead the guests to the couch in the living room.  
"So, how's Pearle? What house is she in at Hogwarts? Slytherin, right?" asked Grandmother Pontale anxiously.  
"Pearle's fine, but she's not in Syltherin.. She's in Gyrffindor. We were disappointed, but Dumbledore wouldn't move her for us." replied Genova.  
"Terrible, just terrible. I told you she was a bad hat when she was born, but NO! No one believed me. And I bet you that boy of yours, he going to be just like his sister!" 


	5. Dissapointing Letters

Chapter 5- Disappointing Letters  
Lucas walked into the bedroom that his grandparents would be staying in and he put the bags down on the bed. Just as he was walking out of the room he heard a tapping on the window. There was an owl there holding a letter. Lucas opened the large, transparent window letting the owl glide into the room. The owl landed on the bed and dropped the letter. Lucas picked it up and it read:  
Dear Luce,  
How are you! I can't wait to see you. It's been a long hard year here at Hogwarts. I also have some bad news. My friend, Zoe, invited me to go stay at her summer house in Devon for a week. I'm going to go so I won't be home for another week. I'm sorry.  
So how's everything with you? Well I have to go pack all of my stuff. I'll send you an owl later.  
Much love,  
Pearl   
Lucas was so excited to hear from his sister but her had a feeling of disappointment, but he felt happy for Pearle. He quickly scribbled a letter back.  
Dear Pearle,  
I'm okay. Grandmother Pontale and Grandfather Pontale are here. They are very unhappy that you are in Gyffindor and not Syltherin. I hope you have fun at Zoe's.   
Love,  
Lucas  
Lucas tied the letter onto Wilson, the family's owl, and sent him off. Lucas scurried down the huge flight of stairs leading downstairs. He found his grandparents screaming at his parents because his sister wasn't in Slytherin. At this point his parents didn't look so mean anymore.   
He didn't want to get into trouble for eavesdropping so he went back upstairs. He started towards one of the forbidden hallways. 


	6. Dark Magic

Chapter 6- Dark Magic  
Lucas approached one of the rooms he was told never to go into. This stirred up a lot of curiosity in him so he decided to explore. His parents wouldn't have to know and they were out with his grandparents anyway.  
Lucas slowly opened the door and to his amazement there was noting in there but books and a few armchairs. There was also a huge fireplace. He didn't know why he was forbidden from this room until he saw the title of one of the books. It was Dark Magic Spells for the Beginner bye Hottuns Totamas. Lucas was overcome by amazement. He knew his parents were not good witches and wizards but he didn't think they were evil. He started to open the book until...  
"Lucas! What on earth are you doing? I thought we told you never to come in here!" his mother screeched. "Get downstairs right now! You're gonna be locked in the cellar for a long time so you can think about what you've done."  
Lucas proceeded down the stairs towards the basement. His mother got the key from her pocket (she probably carried it around in case something like this happened.) And turned the lock from the outside so that Lucas wouldn't have a chance of getting out.   
There were some small windows in the basement and after Lucas had been down there for an hour he heard tapping again. It was Wilson! Pearle had written him back!  
Dear Lucas,  
I'm so sorry I'm leaving you alone with Grandmother Pontale and Grandfather Pontale. They are a pain in the ass. I won't stay at Zoe's fora whole week. I'll stay for four days. So is everything else alright? Well I have to go down to the Great Hall for lunch. Talk to you later.  
-Pearle  
Lucas felt better that he wouldn't have to deal with his grandparents alone for two weeks. He quickly wrote another note back incase he got in trouble.  
Dear Pearle,  
I'm looking foward to seeing you. I'm not so good though. Mom locked me in the basement because she caught me in one of the forbidden room. There were all kinds of dark magic spells and stuff like that.  
Lucas  
  
Lucas tied the note to Wilson and sent him out of the window. He laid down on his pathetic, ragged bed. He fell into a deep sleep. 


	7. A Note and Parcel

Chapter 7- A Note and Parcel  
  
Lucas awoke to his grandmother's annoying voice in his ear.  
"Get up! Get up! Start your chores!" His grandmother screeched  
"But...It's Saturday morning and I like to sleep late." He replied  
"I really don't care. Your parents left for a meeting in London and your grandfather and I are taking care of you so you will obey me!" she put her fat arm on her hip and waited for him to obey. "Well, let's get a move on."  
"Okay, okay. Let me get dressed."   
Lucas got dressed quickly so that he wouldn't get into more trouble. He put on a baggy red shirt and grey sweat pants. He scurried up the basement stairs, into the kitchen. He grabbed a bucket from under the sink and began to fill it hastily with water which started to spill all over the floor. He proceeded to put soap in it and got the mop out of the closet. After he finished mopping the house he started dusting.  
Before he could call it a day, he had to ask his grandmother permission and she would inspect the jobs he did.   
"Grandmother Pontale, can I please stop my chores now? I did everything you wanted me to do?" Lucas asked obediently.  
"I suppose. If your going to stop your chores, will you please take a shower? There is an awful stench coming off of you boy!" The crabby old woman wrinkled her nose in disgust.  
Lucas did what he was told and after he was done with his shower he got dressed and went into one of the guest bedrooms to rest. He must have been sleeping for at least and hour, when he woke up at 1:00 pm to a tapping on the window. It was Wilson again! His sister had been sending him so many letters this week, but he opened the window and let the owl in. Not only was there a letter there was a package.   
Dear Lucas,  
Enclosed with this letter is a letter for Grandmother Pontale and Grandfather Pontale. The package is for them too. I don't want them to hold a grudge against me but those assholes will. Well, I'll see you soon. Today is my last day at Hogwarts for two months. I can't believe it. See you.  
-Pearle  
p.s. you can read the letter to grandma and grandpa if you wish.  
Lucas was curious, so he did read the letter to his grandparents.  
Dearest Grandmother and Grandfather Pontale,  
It's Pearle. I'm writing you from Hogwarts. I know you and Mother and Father are disappointed that I didn't get into Slytherin, but I think it's for the best. I don't think I'm good enough for Slytherin, well at least not as good as you and Mother and Father were. The Sorting Hat also thought I am better off.   
Much Love,  
Pearle  
Lucas knew Pearle was just sucking up to her grandparents. Pearle was happy where she was. Maybe Grandmother and Grandfather Pontale would look at things from another perspective.  
Lucas brought the package and the letter down to his grandparents. He stood there as they read the letter.  
"Oh! Poor dear. Doesn't think she will fair well in Slytherin." If you ask me Gertrude, I think we have a suck up on our hands.  
"I suppose the same, Martin. Oh and look! She sent us a gift."   
The two of them opened the gift, and to their astonishment, it was a box of muggle cookies.   
"How dare she! I thought her parents were bringing her up better! We must talk with her when she returns." Said Grandmother Pontale. 


	8. Pearle's Life

Chapter 8- Pearle's Life  
It was Pearle's last day at Hogwarts for two months. She and her friend Zoe, were heading down to the Great Hall for dinner.  
"Wait up Zoe!" exclaimed Pearle as she tied her shoe.  
"Alright, alright. C'mon though!" Zoe replied.  
"Okay, I'm done."  
The two girls proceeded down the spiral staircase to the Great Hall. There was an abundance of people in there, waiting to see who won the House Cup. Everyone's voice was elevated but showed excitement. There was a huge feast and then Dumbledore came to his feet to announce the winner of the cup.   
"I have the points all counted up. Slytherin has 652 points, Hufflepuff has 689 points, Ravenclaw has 713 points, and Gryffindor, the winner of the House Cup, has 722 points." Dumbledore said.  
The Gryffindor colors decorated the room as the Gyrffindor table screamed with joy. This was truly Pearle's best year at Hogwarts.  
-Hour and a half later-  
Pearle and Zoe proceeded up to their dorm. They wanted to get a good night in since they were taking the train back to London and then driving up to Devon with Zoe's parents. That night Pearle fell asleep quickly, but had a restless sleep.  
The next morning the girls were up by seven. They quickly got dressed and started to put all of their bags into a pile when...  
"Shit! I hope I told Lucas, in my letter, to tell Mother and Father that I was going to your house in Devon for a week. Oh well. It's too late now. I'll send them and owl when we get to your house." said Pearle anxiously. "It's no biggy. Don't worry." She tried to reassure herself.  
  
The train ride on the Hogwarts Express was not bad. The girls talked the whole time about what they were going to do when they got to the summer house. Pearle was very excited because her summer vacations usually consisted of her cleaning the house all day long. She figured that when she go home things would be the same. She was very wrong. 


End file.
